In keeping with his earlier commitment, Dr. Tijani Bosun, the Minister of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy, has introduced a strategic blueprint covering 2023-2027. This blueprint, titled ‘Accelerating our Collective Prosperity through Technical Efficiency,’ is built on five core pillars.
Dr. Bosun emphasized that this document is a crucial stepping stone toward positioning Nigeria as a digital-age leader, aligning with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. He stated, “This strategic blueprint outlines a vision for Nigeria that leverages digital technology and innovation to diversify and strengthen our economy.”
The five pillars of the 2023-2027 strategic agenda include Knowledge, Policy, Infrastructure, Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Capital, and Trade.
Knowledge: In our rapidly interconnected world, knowledge is the foundation upon which countries build a robust and sustainable economy. As a critical prerequisite, knowledge influences how we generate innovations and technologies that drive economic growth, expand the talent pool to drive competitiveness, improve productivity and inform evidence-based policymaking, amongst others.
Policy: The second pillar of the strategic blueprint highlights the fundamental role of policy in enabling innovation, entrepreneurship and inclusive growth. When properly designed and executed, the policy provides a platform for innovation and entrepreneurship to thrive. Effective policy provides regulatory clarity and necessary incentives for an environment where businesses and innovators are empowered to grow. Over the next 4 years, the policies will focus on encouraging investment, research and development and the protection of intellectual property.
Infrastructure: The 3rd Pillar of the strategic blueprint showcases the commitment to building the critical infrastructure required to power a strong digital economy. We recognise that economic prosperity is linked to a robust digital foundation. Our emphasis on building stronger digital infrastructure extends beyond connecting people but also focuses on economic empowerment and creating opportunities for inclusion. With improved access to quality broadband, and upgraded critical services, this pillar will catalyse a digital transformation that impacts our entire population.
Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Capital: In the rapidly evolving global technology landscape, innovation, entrepreneurship, and access to capital are critical components of a strong digital economy. The 4th pillar of the strategic blueprint provides a roadmap for Nigeria to harness the potential of these 3 pieces as catalysts for the transformation of our digital economy. This pillar is the driving force behind the creation of an environment that encourages innovation, supports entrepreneurship and attracts the required capital to deliver on our ambitions.
Trade: The Trade pillar embodies our commitment to position Nigeria as a major player in the African and global technology ecosystem. As a rapidly growing economy, with the ICT sector contributing 18.44% to Nigeria’s GDP in Q2 2022, and e-commerce spending projected to grow to $75 billion by 2025 (Statista), our primary goal is to enhance Nigeria’s participation in the global technology trade over the next 4 years. A core part of this pillar is our aim to improve Nigeria’s ranking in the ECI (Economic Complexity Index) Technology Index.
